Why Honeymoon in Sidemen?
Sidemen is a traditional Balinese village hidden between the rice fields at the foot of the spectacular Agung volcano in East Bali. Sidemen is off the beaten path, not many tourists visit this place, and that is part of its charm. People claim it compares to how Ubud was 25 years ago before mass tourism arrived. While we haven’t been in Bali long enough to confirm that claim, we do love visiting Sidemen!
Undiscovered Bali!
Sidemen is Bali in its purest form. Rice terraces, waterfalls, a wild river (great for rafting!), and an authentic local village where local crafts are performed. We believe it is great for a honeymoon as you can completely wind down, relax and join your time together here. Best of all, you won’t have to compromise on comfort: the spectacular luxury Wapa Di Ume Resort allows you to enjoy Sidemen in style! We share some more suggestions for honeymoon hotels in Sidemen below.
Silver Jewelry Making
Honeymoon Hotels in Sidemen
Wondering where to stay during your Sidemen honeymoon? While Sidemen is off the beaten path and doesn’t offer the wide range of luxury accomodation you might find in Seminyak or Uluwatu, there’s some great honeymoon-worthy hotels in Sidemen now.
What are you looking for?
-
Samanvaya Sidemen
4 starAffordable luxuryNature viewsSidemenHighly rated 4-star boutique resort with beautiful views, an infinity pool, whirlpool and spa. The resort offer some spectacular wooden villas, some with private hot tub. This is one of our personal favorite as it feels like waking up in the nature with authentic mountain & ricefield views, far from hustle & bustle of a city.
♥Check Availability
✓ → Read More ↓ -
Wapa di Ume Sidemen
5 starNature viewsPrivate villasSidemenWe love this place: Wapa di Ume Sidemen is a five star boutique resort featuring panoramic views, with the majestic Mount Agung, the largest mountain of Bali, in the distance. While in a remote location, the resort offers all amenities you'll likely need: They have a spa, yoga, infinity pool, gym, restaurant and bar. Every room is spacious with a view overlooking the hill and river, but your best bet for a romantic getaway might be the Private Pool Villa. Their breakfast is a treat, offering a wide array of options and delicious drinks. What makes this resort stand out is its cozy atmosphere and limited number of rooms, allowing guests to truly relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
♥Check Availability
✓ Hotel rated ★9.4 with 300+ reviews. → Read More ↓ -
Darmada Eco Resort
4 starAffordable luxurySidemenOldest and most eco-friendly hotel in Sidemen. Very authentic place in the middle of nature run by a Balinese-Dutch couple. It is located on the bank of a beautiful jungle river and offers a natural pool. The Darmada is more friendly priced than some of the new 5-star hotels that recently were developed in Sidemen, and is very embedded in the local village. They organize many different activities for couples that are curious the discover the real Bali.
♥Check Availability
✓ Hotel rated ★9.1 with 100+ reviews. → Read More ↓ -
Camaya Bali
Nature viewsRemote, north of SidemenLocated a short drive north of Sidemen, this spot is quite remote. Six cabins are part of this boutique resort, which is extremely highly rated. Guests are however warned they might encounter insects and reptiles, as that is part of the jungle. No air-conditioning is offered, but the region is a bit elevated so it is cooler than in most of Bali.
Guests that book via the link below will get a scooter included in their stay, which is useful to get around in this remote area. However if you don't feel comfortable driving a motorbike, multiple activities are offered by the Camaya, including rafting and a visit to a nearby waterfall. The on-site restaurant serves home-made Balinese dishes, which can be ordered to your room as well.
♥Check Availability
✓ Rated ★9.5 on Booking. → Read More ↓ -
Veluvana
Nature viewsSidemen town5 spectacular bamboo houses overlooking the Sidemen valley. This is a great option for couples on a honeymoon. You can have a romantic candle light dinner in your cabin, as well as enjoy a flower pool or floating breakfast together. The architecture of each house is unique, all inspired by the shapes of different animals: from manta rays to a cobra.
All houses are made with environmental-friendly materials, even the furniture is bamboo! The price of a night here is quite steep, and they often get booked well in advance. However we still believe its a great addition for a short stay. We like that it is in quite a lively location with some other restaurants in walking distance, so it is not super remote.
♥Check Availability
✓ Rated ★8.9 on Booking. → Read More ↓
❤️ More Sidemen hotels? You might want to compare prices or check all highly rated hotels for couples in Sidemen for yourself. See all the best Sidemen hotel options here and compare reviews and prices for your dates 📅.
If you follow this link, we've already filtered the list to only show the best options with great ratings of 8 out of 10 or above (but you can easily adjust the filters).
Honeymoon Activities in Sidemen
Sidemen is a great place to relax and enjoy the nature together. The amount of activities offered might seem smaller as what you would find in tourist hotspots like Ubud, but there’s a few things we love to do when visiting Sidemen, especially as a couple!
What type of activities would you like to do in Sidemen?
-
★ Our Fav!
Agung Silver Craft Workshop
ActiveCultureIn SidemenFor those that don't have enough of rings yet after their wedding. This authentic crafts workshop in the village of Sidemen invites couples to make their own jewelry together. Book this well in advance.
Instagram -
★ Our Fav!
Tegala Waja River Rafting
ActiveNatureThrill20 min north of SidemenThe Tegala Waja river flows through the green Sidemen Valley. This is definitely Bali's prettiest river to raft on. While the 3-hour rafting experience gets a little wild once in a while (nothing crazy though), we enjoyed the scenery a lot, floating past waterfalls and through jungle. At the endpoint a simple Indonesian lunch will be served before you'll be driven back to the starting point.
Book direct via WhatsappRead More ↓ -
ATV Riding
ActiveThrill40 minutes drive from SidemenIn Manggis, close to East Bali's Candidasa town you will find the longest ATV track in Bali, operated by Halo ATV. If you don't mind getting dirty, this is great fun! We did this experience and passed by a waterfall, through local villages, dense forest, drove through an actual river, and stopped at a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the Lombok Strait after driving up a steep hill (that drive up was a bit tricky!). Bring some old clothes, as you will get wet and muddy. Halo ATV does provide pickup from Candidasa at additional cost.
Istagram -
Gembleng Waterfall
ActiveNature20 min east of SidemenGreat sunset spot! This beautiful waterfall has some romantic spots to enjoy together or to take pictures, and is only 15-20 min drive east of Sidemen. From the parking lot, its a 5 minute walk up the stairs to get to the spot. It does get crowded at times, especially at the natural pool which is great for taking pictures.
On Google Maps -
Lake Batur Hot Springs
ActiveNatureRelaxing & wellness1hr north of SidemenBeautifully located hot springs, directly located next to the spectacular Batur Crater Lake, in the shadow of the Mount Batur Volcano, roughly 1 hour drive north of Sidemen.
There are multiple hot springs you can choose between, they are only a few hundred meters apart. We believe Batur Natural Hot Spring (Google Maps) is the nicest for couples, but Toya Devasya (Google Maps) is a great option too. The latter has some slides and thus attracts a bit more families.
A great option is to combine the Hot Springs with a sunrise hike up Mount Batur. You would have to leave your Sidemen hotel early in the morning, around 3AM.
On Google Maps -
Monkey Bar at Bella Vista
30 min south of SidemenThe Monkey Bar is a popular spot for both tourists and locals to enjoy the view, an infinity pool and some simple snacks. While this place can get crowded sometimes, we like visiting it for the gorgeous views over green hills. Entrance fee is low, and what you pay can be used to spend on drinks and snacks.
On Google Maps -
Traditional Balinese Cooking Class
ActiveCulturein the mountains near SidemenLearn how to make 5 different typical Balinese dishes in this beautiful outdoor kitchen in Sidemen.
Book in advance♥Book in advance
✓ Through GetYourGuide.com → -
Instagram Highlights Tour from Sidemen
NatureCultureDaytripGroup tourPrivate tourPick-up in your Sidemen HotelThe Instagram Highlights tour is an amazing choice for (aspiring) influencers, but don't worry if you and your partner prefer to live a more private life: it is a great opportunity to see the most scenic parts of Bali and get some memorable pictures of your honeymoon regardless. You can choose between a small group tour and a private tour.
Highlights include the Lempuyang Temple (also known as Gate of Heaven) in East Bali, as well as the Tirta Gangga water palace. In Central Bali, the tour will pass the Tukad Cepung Waterfall and Tegallalang rice fields, where it is possible to take pictures on while riding a spectacular "Jungle Swing". This is one of the most popular tours in Bali, and is highly rated with 4.9 stars based on 3500+ reviews.
♥Book this experience!
✓ Operator has ★4.9 on GetYourGuide (3500+ reviews). → Read More ↓
Romantic Dining in Sidemen
Luxury dining options in Sidemen are limited. Your best options are the two luxury hotels in the area, with the restaurant in the Samanvaya hotel being our favorite. Some more casual dining options can be found in Sidemen too, as well as simple family-run Balinese restaurants offering authentic Balinese food. Here are our favorites!
What type of restaurant are you looking for?
-
★ Our Fav!
-
-
-
How to get to Sidemen
Sidemen is a 2 hour drive away from Denpasar Bali Airport and most tourist destinations in South Bali (Canggu, Seminyak or Uluwatu). It’s a little closer from Ubud, taking around 1 hour by car if there’s no traffic.
Sidemen is a great midway point to stay a day or two on your way to Amed on the northeast shore of Bali. However don’t use it as a midway point on your way to Lovina - while Sidemen may appear roughly halfway on a map, it actually takes 3 hours from Sidemen to get to Lovina through the mountains - just as long as it would take from South Bali.
Finding a taxi to take you to Sidemen can involve some haggling, especially from other remote places. It is probably easier to book a transfer from Sidemen in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Sidemen in Bali?
Sidemen is located in East-Central Bali. It is a small village surrounded by mountains, rice fields and forest, roughly 2 hours drive from Bali Airport.
How to get around in Sidemen?
Sidemen is a relatively small town. You can easily get around by walking. However, it is advisable to get a hotel towards the center of the town. To explore the surrounding nature, you would either need to find a (taxi) driver or rent a scooter if you feel comfortable driving one!
How far is Sidemen from Bali Airport
As Sidemen is located in East Bali, it takes around 2 hours to get there from the airport. This is part of Sidemen's charm - its not overrun by tourists (yet)!
Is Sidemen a good honeymoon destination?
Yes, we love it as this is where you can explore the real traditional Bali without the mass tourism, with some luxury hotel options to enjoy it all in style.
How long should we stay in Sidemen?
We believe two nights is a good amount of time to spend in Sidemen, unless you plan to do a lot of activities (rafting, exploring waterfalls) or want to take it slow - then 3 nights would be perfect!
What activities can we do in Sidemen?
Sidemen is surrounded by beautiful nature. You can find rivers suitable for rafting, waterfalls, mountains for hiking and more!
Next Destinations
For an experience similar to Sidemen (nature, off the beaten path), we would suggest the Munduk region - stay on the slope of a volcanic crater with spectacular views overlooking the ocean. For more travel ideas we wrote an article on Bali Honeymoon Itineraries.
Find your next destination after Sidemen!
-
Ubud
LuxuryCultureNatureNightlifeRead our Ubud Honeymoon GuideMade famous by Eat Pray Love. Jungle, art, rice fields, monkeys and spirituality.
Read our Ubud Honeymoon Guide -
Uluwatu
LuxuryBeachNatureSurfingRead our Uluwatu Honeymoon GuidePeninsula with cliffs, caves, surf and hidden beaches. Luxury resorts nearby.
Read our Uluwatu Honeymoon Guide -
Munduk
NatureOff the beaten pathRead our Munduk Honeymoon GuideHidden gem with spectacular views. Explore crater lakes, waterfalls and temples.
Read our Munduk Honeymoon Guide -
Seminyak
LuxuryBeachNightlifeSurfingRead our Seminyak Honeymoon GuideUpscale area with wide sandy beach, great restaurants and fancy beachclubs.
Read our Seminyak Honeymoon Guide -
Amed
BeachCultureNatureDivingOff the beaten pathRead our Amed Honeymoon GuideTranquil fishing villages, famous dive spots.
Read our Amed Honeymoon Guide -
Canggu
LuxuryBeachNightlifeSurfingRead our Canggu Honeymoon GuideSurf Beach, Party, Hipsters & Foodies.
Read our Canggu Honeymoon Guide -
Candidasa
BeachCultureNatureOff the beaten pathRead our Candidasa Honeymoon GuideBeautiful calm East Bali beach town.
Read our Candidasa Honeymoon Guide -
Kintamani & Mount Batur
NatureOff the beaten pathRead our Kintamani Honeymoon GuideVolcanoes, Sunrise Hikes, Lakes and Hotsprings.
Read our Kintamani Honeymoon Guide -
Lovina
BeachCultureNatureDivingOff the beaten pathRead our Lovina Honeymoon GuideCalm ocean away from the crowds. Watch dolphins and hike to waterfalls.
Read our Lovina Honeymoon Guide -
Nusa Dua
BeachLuxuryRead our Nusa Dua Honeymoon GuideLuxury hotels and (all-inclusive) resorts facing white sand beach with all the comforts you could wish for.
Read our Nusa Dua Honeymoon Guide -
Sidemen
NatureCultureOff the beaten pathRead our Sidemen Honeymoon GuideOff the beaten path nature destination between rice fields and mountains.
Read our Sidemen Honeymoon Guide -
Sanur
BeachCultureRead our Sidemen Honeymoon GuideLong stretch of calm ocean beach close to Bali airport. Spectacular sunrise.
Read our Sidemen Honeymoon Guide -
Nusa Penida Island
BeachNatureDivingBeyond baliRead our Nusa Penida Honeymoon GuideHilly island of the coast of Bali with spectacular cliffs and rock formations.
Read our Nusa Penida Honeymoon Guide -
Gili Islands
BeachNatureDivingNightlifeBeyond baliRead our Gili Islands Honeymoon GuideReal tropical island vibes! Three small islands great for diving, beach and party.
Read our Gili Islands Honeymoon Guide -
Lombok Island
NatureOff the beaten pathSurfBeachBeyond baliRead our Lombok Honeymoon GuideThe large island West of Bali. Famous for surf, spectacular beaches and Mount Rinjani.
Read our Lombok Honeymoon Guide

We are Olivia & Dirk
Hi! We have put together this guide with a lot of care, based on our own experiences. As a couple, we have lived in Bali for the past 5 years, and we fell in love with the island. We have visited every corner of Bali, especially the romantic places ;-). While our articles do contain affiliate links, you can trust us to recommend only the experiences that we love.
We can help make your honeymoon perfect:
🧡 Check our Bali honeymoon packages for a stress-free romantic honeymoon.
🧡 Let us design a personalized custom honeymoon itinerary based on your interests.
🧡 Book unique romantic experiences with us.